Energy Efficiency news notes IBM has a project to simplify electric vehicle charging and paymentfor customers wherever they are in Europe. The ‘B2B Marketplace’ demonstration will allow energy suppliers, auto makers, and charging point owners to share and integrate services on one IT platform. This will create a network of electric vehicle charging services compatible across Europe, allowing EV drivers to charge their vehicles and pay, regardless of geography or border just like international roaming on a mobile phone. The demonstration is part of a European Union effort to establish a Europe-wide electric vehicle infrastructure by 2015.

The Chinese city of Shanghai is offering additional EV subsidies, on top of those already offered by the Chinese government reports ENGLISH.EASTDAY. To encourage individuals to buy new-energy cars before the end of next year, the city will pay a subsidy of 40,000 yuan (US$6,415) for electric vehicles and 30,000 yuan for plug-in hybrids. Each type of vehicle will also get a free license plate. The subsidy will be given directly to car manufacturers, who will then reduce the retail price of a new energy car by the same amount. The central government offers a maximum 60,000 yuan subsidy.

The US will see more hybrids and EVs in 2013 reports fuelFix. Automotive forecaster Alan Baum sees six new hybrid vehicle models and eight more plug-ins joining the existing stock of EVs in US showrooms. From 2009 to 2013, the number of hybrid vehicle models offered will have doubled to 50 and the number of plug-ins will have jumped from one to 28.